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What does social distancing mean?

You can't read or listen to the news right now without hearing the term "social distancing." But what exactly does it mean—and how might it affect you and your family?

Social distancing is a way of slowing down the spread of an infectious disease like COVID-19. It means limiting how we interact with other people to lower the chances of sharing the virus.

For venues like schools, movie theaters and churches, social distancing may mean closing temporarily. For individuals, it means avoiding large groups of people and trying to stay at least 6 feet away from other individuals.

Why 6 feet? COVID-19 seems to be spread by droplets coughed or sneezed into the air. If you're close to someone coughing or sneezing, you might breathe in the droplets and become infected.

How to do it

We all need to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19. Here's how you can help: